Have you ever sinned?
by Katinka the Brave
Summary: NWZ - Victoria had something on her mind, which Diego noticed and wanted to hear her out. However it was Diego who finds himself confession.


Note: Before you read this one-shot, my dear reader, you should keep a few episodes in your mind. These are: "The Siege", "The devil's fortress", "Sanctuary", "Dead men tell no tales". If you don't know these episodes, I suggest you let me know and I tell you what you need to know or else you can search for the transcripts on them on internet.

This story will be T rated, but only because there is some sexual sphere, however non explicit in it.

Nancy, I thank you again for your patient reading and correcting my errors. I also thank you for feedback and allowing me to vent and so over my ideas. It helps a lot that you have been so enthusiastic over this story (and also over other stories.) Els, you too thanks for feedback and being so enthusiastic.

To all I Hope this story makes your day a good one.

~Z~  
**Have you ever sinned?**

It was a late night after a party, when Diego had helped Victoria closing her establishment. He had noticed she was quite distracted and thought to give her an opportunity to vent about it after everybody was gone.

"Diego, thank you so much for your help!" Victoria sighed when she was wiping the last few tables and noticed in between that Diego already had finished sweeping the floor.  
"You're welcome Victoria," Diego replied humble and a bit surprised he added, "I never knew a party could cause such a mess."  
"Tell me about it," Victoria agreed, "still Diego you shouldn't do this."  
"Because of my class?" he inquired a bit indignant.

Victoria was a bit taken aback when she noticed his reaction and covered quickly, "eh no, I was thinking of the beauty sleep you are going to miss."  
"Oh that…" Diego said thoughtful, but smiled, "I sleep even better when I know I have been able to help someone getting his or hers."  
Victoria's tired face lit up at the compliment, "well that is true, you have gained me a few hours sleep. I couldn't have done this within the time you put into cleaning up."

"Well here, sit down and have a drink before you lay your head on your pillow" Diego suddenly stood behind her with two cups of hot chocolate milk in his hands.  
Another smile crossed Victoria's features at his forwardness and sat down at the table they were standing at.  
"Oh this tastes good," Victoria sighed feverishly enjoying the drink.

Diego couldn't help but smile tenderly at the woman in front of him at the table as he noticed her reaction to his creation.  
"I am glad you like it." He also took a sip of his drink and enjoyed the taste as much as she did. He then noticed she was far away with her mind, though he never really knew what she was thinking of.  
Victoria was at some other place and other time, a very pleasant one. She had just come back to Earth when Diego inquired about her thoughts.  
"And señorita, care to share your obvious daydreaming?"

Victoria suddenly opened her eyes and got a bit ashamed for shutting him out. Lightly she said, "I was just thinking about something when my parents lived. We sometimes had such moments like we have now. And eh ... I have to admit some things I did popped up too."  
"Such as?" Diego really got curious.

"Like staying up all evening to have a cup of tea with my parents before we all went to bed. Of course the next morning my mom used to scold me to sleep at night, so I wouldn't be so grumpy in the morning."  
"So you have been quite independent all your life; never letting others tell you what to do." Diego teased her.  
"Oh you," Victoria retorted while she stroke him playfully on his arm which was within her reach.

"And torturing too?" Diego teased again, "My, señorita, you are a dangerous woman, you send all your customers to Dr Hernandez."  
"Really Diego, I didn't slap you that hard." Victoria replied enigmatic.  
"I was just teasing you."

"I know."  
Both took another sip of their drinks letting a pleasant silence fill the air.  
"Diego have you ever sinned?" Victoria asked out of the blue.  
"Doesn't everybody do that at least once in his life?" Diego parried her question, whereas he wanted to keep the sphere light.

"You mean like lying to your parents?" she questioned back.  
"Yes for example, so yes I have." Diego had a small smile on his lips when he thought back of some lies he told his father to save Victoria's brothers from some real punishment they didn't deserve in his opinion.

"That isn't what I meant! Children mostly do that unconsciously or at least don't want to really bring harm to others. I meant since you have grown up, have you committed a sin?" Victoria suddenly was curious to his reaction and it even grew more when the man in front of her was completely silent for a couple of seconds.  
"Yes I have," was finally the short answer.

"Really?"  
"Yes, but why do you ask?" Diego wasn't sure he liked the way this conversation was going, but at the same time intrigued at why Victoria asked him.  
"Did you commit a sin, Victoria and do you need some help to get it all straight again?" Diego suddenly was alarmed.

"Well, no, but I eh I wondered... you thinking of our tricks we played as children made me think of how people may grow up …"  
"Victoria?!"  
"No really Diego, I am not in trouble, " Victoria hurried to put the man back at ease again. It surprised her how quick his state of mind had changed in a few sentences.  
"I am just tired and may ramble a bit because of that."

Diego didn't buy her answer and pushed a bit further for information. "If you need help with anything, you know you can trust me."  
"Gracias, but really there is nothing." To underline her statement she laid a hand upon his arm and tapped it to make him understand. She saw Diego relax again, and continued her interrogation. "Eh how did you feel about it afterwards?"

"About what?" Diego was got off guard.  
"Well about the sin you committed."  
"Oh that! Do you want the truth?"  
"Yes of course, why do you think I asked."

Diego smiled by her clearness and got back into his memory, "Hurt, regret, anger too and guilty above all."  
Victoria was fascinated by the emotions he mentioned, "That is quite something. Didn't you feel shame?"  
"No never that," Diego was proud he could prevent that emotion, because he was always loyal to his beliefs and actions, which came from them. He couldn't say he was proud either.

He was still curious to know what was on Victoria's mind and tried again to see a little part of it. "Do you feel that way about yours?"  
"No definitely not," Victoria replied quite firm, confirming Diego's suspicion there was something bothering her.  
"Then what?"

"I … eh … I don't really know. I am not sure what to feel about it. But was that sin a bad thing, you did Diego?"  
Diego knew she tried to escape him and allowed her this time.  
"Honestly?"  
"Yes, honestly."

He sighed deeply before he answered, "then you must know there were several sins I committed."  
"Several?" Victoria was astonished. She had never dreamed she would hear him say this.  
"Yes," Diego confirmed with a small smile on his face caused by her exclamation.

"What was the worst?" the woman in front of him asked after she had let it all in.  
"Death."  
"No, how come? Did you really kill someone?"

Diego hated the expression she used, whereas it sounded so violent. "To the truth," he started confessing, "they said one was an accident."  
Victoria thought that more fitting to what she knew of her dear friend. With a soft voice she observed, "Then you must believe them, but I sense you feel different about it."  
Before he was able to answer she reacted, "Wait a minute, you said one' so there were more."

"Yes, there were more incidents."  
"What happened?"  
"Well the 'accident' was during a fight. I somehow won, but the other didn't accept it and attack me again."

"You were in a fight?" Victoria reacted very surprised again.  
"Amazing isn't it?" Diego grinned mischievous.  
Thinking back of his brave actions during his childhood she replied, "Not so much, but go on."

"He … eh ... he had ...he had a knife and I knew how to keep him off me and … eh … the next thing I knew he was dead." His narrative sounded soberly and distant making Victoria feel sorry for him.  
"You haven't talked about it, have you?"  
"No."  
"Why?"

"Guilt," Diego answered while facing her openly, "Then I felt horribly bad and I still feel that it wasn't supposed to happen."  
"To me it sounded like you needed to defend yourself," Victoria thought it all over, "and that is not a crime is it?"  
"Perhaps not," Diego replied uncertain, though glad someone gave him a new perspective.

"What about the other incidents," Victoria inquired further in an easy way.  
"In that case someone died, because I failed to capture him." Some deep emotion was showing on his face when he told her the truth about one of the most horrible moments in his life. Sometimes in his dreams this moment hunted him still.

"You didn't kill him either," she concluded brightly hoping he would see it that way too to ease his mind.  
Diego shook his head, "I could and should have prevented that."  
"Why didn't you, if you feel that way?" Victoria felt there was just more than Diego let her know and hoped he would open up even more than he already had been during this conversation. She realized they hardly ever had such moments, but now she embraced it and was humble for receiving this trust even though Diego was still vague about the happenings.

"I guess I was too shocked at what happened at that moment."  
"Why was this man standing at such a dangerous place then?"  
"He stole something and wanted to escape," Diego replied as if it was a common thing to do so.

"And you blocked his way out or something like that?" Victoria filled in the story. She really was curious and wondered when that had happened.  
"Yes, you can call it that way."  
"Was it yours he stole?"

Diego smiled at her curiosity, but also at her respect for his privacy, whereas he had expected her asking him about details that would surely unmask him. "It turned out it belonged to my family."  
Victoria looked thoughtful for a moment and changed the subject in some way, "Still, Diego, also in this case, I think you were defending and it was them who decided to choose their action, which led to their deaths. Was this all?"  
"Yes, this is all, but still I feel I failed somewhere. There have been others who found death and I feel could have done more to prevent it."  
"Diego, you really can't carry the world upon your shoulders."  
"Yes, I know."

"Sometimes things just happen and you once told me that everybody has a choice. I know some people seem to think they are not and simply do something a normal person wouldn't …"  
Diego suddenly cut in, finding a way open to hopefully finally find out what Victoria had on her mind, "Are you going to tell me now Victoria you actually killed someone in cold blood and you're confused over having taken this action?"

"What? No, I haven't killed anyone." Victoria was truly horrified at his suggestion. "You know that and you even defended me when one thought I did kill a man twice my size. I am still grateful you stood up for me."  
"You're very welcome." Diego remembered that day as if it where yesterday. She looked so vulnerable then and seemed she still hoped Diego would be the hero.

Victoria still didn't want to really talk about her worries and changed the subject, "But you said you'd committed more sins, what were those others, stealing, lying, dishonoring your family, expressing blasphemy? Or do you believe in another God?" Then suddenly Victoria's mind got carried away, "Or are you secretly married and had another affair? No, wait, you had an affair with a married woman?"

"Well those last two you can skip with your adventurous heart. I am very loyal to the woman I love," Diego seriously answered and Victoria's expression changed to something Diego couldn't put his finger on, but continued in a teasingly lecturing voice, "Such fantasy, you should be careful or you indeed would sin señorita?"

"Really Diego," Victoria laughed but lifted her head in challenging him, "now tell me, what are those others."  
"You expect more?" Diego lifted amused his eyebrow. How he liked to tease this beautiful woman.  
"You seem full of surprises," she almost flirted back, "Now?"

"Alright, alright," Diego gave in. "I guess it would be blasphemy, I don't believe everything the church tries to let us know. I am a scientist. But surely stealing and lying. To my counting I came almost to 7 sins I committed of the holy ten commandments."  
"Diego, you and lying?" Victoria seemed not to hear all those other sins. "I thought you were the most respectful and honest man in the pueblo if not of all California.  
"Yes," hesitantly Diego confirmed her querie for confirmation, "I lie a lot and I am certainly not proud of that."

"Why do you do it then?"  
"Because it is for the best, for everybody I guess."  
Victoria took his left hand in hers in comfort. "That must be a heavy burden."

Diego confirmed it with a soft yes and a silence filled the room, leaving both in their thoughts for a short while.  
Diego thought about all those times he had to lie to his father or Victoria and have them terribly disappointed. Right now he felt satisfied as if he had been for given for all things he had done wrong by Victoria's tender gesture.

Victoria's mind drifted to Zorro. He sure didn't have an easy life, she realized and figured she must be some light in the darkness for him. It made her even wonder how he felt about their actions a few days ago. Would he also be confused? Or did he take it as an aspect of life and continue his daily life as the cold blooded hero he shows himself in public. Maybe she shouldn't worry so much over it either.

Victoria was intensively staring at his strong hands, which reminded her of someone else's as she broke the peaceful silence. "It seems we all see problems that don't really exist, don't we Diego?"  
"Possible and has this something to do with your sin?"  
"Maybe."

Then Victoria turned his hand palm upward and trailed her index finger over his palm as she continued her confession, making Diego holding his breath. If only she knew how seductive she was acting now.  
"The thing is I actually enjoyed my sin, but it is the thought of what the people may think if they find out what I did which makes me feel bad." Diego was surprised at her enigmatic words. His mind was running to find what she was talking about.

"Then you must not let them know, I suggest," Diego's soft voice made the hairs in her neck come upward as if it was Zorro who was softly kissing the spots behind her ears. She so hoped he would do that again and every other thing he had done that special day. A day she surely will never forget. Definitely not. In many ways it had changed her life and she was going to grab this change with both hands.

"True, but some things can be kept a secret pretty hard."  
Victoria stopped making circles over his palm and continued her path over his wrist to his underarm.  
Diego was captured by her actions and couldn't stop her, but her bold actions also confused him let alone what she was finally about asked of him.

"I was hoping you could help me with erasing my sin," she started while she touched the scar in the shape of a cross. She loved this scar. She had noticed this one on her hero a few days ago as she had seen many others. It just surprised her when she noticed a copy on Diego's a day later when she disturbed him working at the Guardian. He seemed so busy that she decided to take his lunch to him. Beside she had her new column for Doña Corazon ready and wanted to hear his opinion on it. Distracted Diego asked her to hand something over. When he reached out for her to receive it, the scar was very visible. Diego hadn't noticed she had stared at it a few moments before she put the asked item in his hand. Now she was the one who was distracted and returned to the taverna trying to put the pieces together.

Like the woman she was, she first needed to jump to another subject first, "You know Diego, I am glad you helped out with the preparations for this party this morning. You know, you really had shown a different part of yourself this morning. I must admit, you not wearing a jacket, but only a shirt with uprolled sleeves, makes you truly look good."

As if this statement didn't confuse Diego any more, Diego now didn't know what to think of her. She was openly flirting with him this very moment. He was so sure Victoria only had eyes for Zorro. Hadn't she let her masked man known a few days ago with her eagerness to give him back what he wanted to give her so long. That day he couldn't stop his longing for her anymore and gave into his desires. He just wasn't sure who was the first to give in, but he was still conscious enough to make sure there would be no consequences to their doing.

"Everybody thinks Zorro looks good." Victoria wasn't finished he found out when her voice reached his ears. When he reproduced what she had said somehow he felt he really missed something and listened intently to everything else she had to say. "I have to agree, but I doubt they know how many scars he has on his body. One of them is pretty recognizable, if you knew where to look for. It is good for him that he always wears long sleeves and gloves."

Diego wasn't focusing on her finger touching his wrist anymore but faced her to read her mind by her expression. He felt he failed terribly. It seemed she was far away with her thoughts as she had her eyes set on his scar.  
Out of the blue with sparkling eyes Victoria stared him hard in his deep blue ones as she suggestively answered, "you know Diego, to help me soften my sin, it only takes some sanction of holy matrimony. It wouldn't be the first time, if you proposed to me now or tomorrow."

THE END


End file.
